Varanasi: Once notorious as a den of Naxalites because of its difficult terrain and a dark zone due to poor cellular network connectivity, the Jugail area of Sonbhadra district is all set to see a new dawn, with three 4G towers set to be installed in the region.The BSNL provision allows a maximum of two towers in any village, but in view of the typical geographical conditions, the local administration pursued the installation of a minimum of three towers in each of the seven villages of the Jugail region. BSNL agreed to the proposal, and now 22 towers will be installed in these villages.Sonbhadra district magistrate Charchit Gaur said Jugail, the largest gram panchayat in the district by area, had faced serious network challenges because of its difficult geographical conditions. Residents had been raising the issue for years, and the administration had now accelerated the process of tower installation. He said BSNL would set up 4G towers at three locations shortly.As the remote Jugail region had long remained affected by poor mobile connectivity and needed a major communication boost, public representatives and the district administration pursued the matter with the central and state governments.Gaur said that although the general provision allows a maximum of two towers in one gram panchayat, he coordinated with the Director General of BSNL and explained the special circumstances of Jugail. Following this, approval was granted for three additional towers. With these, a total of five towers will ensure better mobile network coverage across Jugail gram panchayat.Referring to connectivity expansion in network-deprived areas, Gaur said 25 mobile towers had earlier been sanctioned in the district, of which work on 22 had already started. The remaining towers, delayed due to formalities related to the Forest Department, are also expected to progress soon. With the approval of three new towers, the total number of new mobile towers planned for uncovered areas of the district has reached 28.Improved connectivity is expected to ease access to online education, health services, banking, digital payments, government schemes and e-governance facilities. It will also help people contact police, ambulance and emergency services without delay. Farmers, traders, students and youths will benefit from internet-based services, opening new opportunities for livelihoods and self-employment in the remote tribal belt.
